The day after U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a live speech from the White House on March 11 on the first anniversary of the U.S. COVID-19 exclusion, it was alleged on Facebook that his address had been pre-recorded. This statement is false.
In a White House speech Thursday, Biden said as Americans gather, there could be a greater sense of normalcy – and a few backyard braai parties with small groups – during U.S. Independence Day on July 4 (here).
Following the speech, Facebook posts claim that the president’s speech was “pre-recorded” and “pre-edited” (here, here, here).
As shown here in live footage provided by C-SPAN, an empty presidential podium in the East Room of the White House is on display before Biden walks there at about 1:20.
In addition, Jeff Mason, correspondent for the White House of Reuters, attended the address and tweeted live updates before, during and after Biden gave his speech. here , here and here .
Mason confirmed to the Fact Check team that he was present in the East Room and that the address was in fact delivered directly.
Reuters photographer Tom Brenner, who took photos of Biden during the speech (here, here), also confirmed that he was there in person that day with Biden and Mason, and that the photos he took were indeed taken during the speech at 11 a.m. March was taken.
The Reuters Fact Check team has previously broken down social media, claiming that other speeches by Biden have been pre-recorded here, here and here.
VERDICT
Untrue. President Biden’s speech on March 11 on the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic was delivered live. It was not pre-recorded or edited before it was broadcast.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our work to actually check social media posts.